If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are still looking at Bryzgalov as an isolated move and not one piece of a plan to build a championship team. Not once did I ever state or insinuate that simply not signing Bryzgalov or moving him in favour of another goalie AS AN ISOLATE MOVE made us a better team or that their was a better goalie available. The argument I have always made is that if you save yourself the 5.67 million dollar cap hit for the next 9 years (8 years now) and give Bob his shot COMBINED WITH signing a number one defenseman makes us a better team.

If you want to argue that I am wrong then argue the point that this team is better with Bryzgalov in net and the current roster of defenseman (or a similar one due to cap restraints) playing in front of him then we would be with putting Bob in net and trading for or signing a true number one defenseman like Weber or Suter to play in front of him with the cap space saved on Bryz.

You're saying you "always said we needed a number 1 defenseman," so you must be completely forgetting that Bryzgalov was signed while we had a number 1 defenseman in Chris Pronger. That's where the cap issue is, a number 1 defenseman that is physically unable to play. It's not like Holmgren thought to himself.. "number 1 defenseman or goalie?" We had all the pieces EXCEPT for the goalie. So he went out an improved that one spot. Then Pronger took a stick to the face and there went the number 1 defenseman.

That leads to where we are right now and you're right, I'm looking at amnestying Bryz as an isolated move. Of course I am, because the first thing you need to do is replace him and why amnesty him when you could amnesty Pronger? I think the team is better with Bryz in net than with Bob, or Harding, or Halak in net regardless of the defense. The defense last year was much better than this year's in my opinion and Bob, Boucher and Leighton weren't as good as Bryz was this year. That's why they went out and got a franchise goalie. He gives the Flyers a better shot at a cup than any other goalie that is realistically available. He struggled, yes, but he was also phenomenal with the current defense before he and Meszaros got hurt. Look at the numbers from March. It wasn't just a week, it was the entire month. For March he went 10-2-1 with 4 shutouts. In those 13 games he gave up 2 or fewer goals 11 times. He was also the better goalie in each of the Flyers playoffs series this year. He wasn't the problem against the Devils. You're looking at getting rid of the wrong contract. The Pronger contract is the problem.

You're saying you "always said we needed a number 1 defenseman," so you must be completely forgetting that Bryzgalov was signed while we had a number 1 defenseman in Chris Pronger. That's where the cap issue is, a number 1 defenseman that is physically unable to play. It's not like Holmgren thought to himself.. "number 1 defenseman or goalie?" We had all the pieces EXCEPT for the goalie. So he went out an improved that one spot. Then Pronger took a stick to the face and there went the number 1 defenseman.

That leads to where we are right now and you're right, I'm looking at amnestying Bryz as an isolated move. Of course I am, because the first thing you need to do is replace him and why amnesty him when you could amnesty Pronger? I think the team is better with Bryz in net than with Bob, or Harding, or Halak in net regardless of the defense. The defense last year was much better than this year's in my opinion and Bob, Boucher and Leighton weren't as good as Bryz was this year. That's why they went out and got a franchise goalie. He gives the Flyers a better shot at a cup than any other goalie that is realistically available. He struggled, yes, but he was also phenomenal with the current defense before he and Meszaros got hurt. Look at the numbers from March. It wasn't just a week, it was the entire month. For March he went 10-2-1 with 4 shutouts. In those 13 games he gave up 2 or fewer goals 11 times. He was also the better goalie in each of the Flyers playoffs series this year. He wasn't the problem against the Devils. You're looking at getting rid of the wrong contract. The Pronger contract is the problem.

thank you. and look i was one of those people who, before they signed Bryz, thought it would have been wise to start Bob last season and sign a capable backup. i was, anyone who's a regular in these forums will know this.

however, Bryz played very well last season down the stretch, and i think having a full year of being in this type of environment under his belt will serve him well.

the cap isn't an issue for this team. it really isn't. there are plenty of options for them down the road that can clear their "cap problems" that Bryz has apparently brought on this team. with timonen and pronger getting close to retirement, briere and hartnell getting close to the end of their deals, carle possibly walking, jagr getting close to retiring, bob most likely getting moved, i mean the list goes on.

this team is not hamstrung by any means by Bryz's deal.

and ultimately, if the Flyers win a cup, or multiple cups, while he's here, that contract won't mean a damn thing.

Originally Posted by crzyhawk

This idea makes a lot more sense then JVR for Nash.

not really. Nash is at least a proven commodity. you know you're going to get 30-40 goals from him every year. bouwmeester hasn't proven to be alive since he's been in Calgary, let alone be a good to great defenseman.

i agree; if they're gonna move JVR for bouwmeester, they better be getting another 1 or 2 players as well. and not bad players or low level prospects either.

was lappy's contract an issue? NO ... pronger can sit on LTIR for the remainder of his deal and just get paid ...

BRYZ's contract is the killer ... 8 years and 41 million left for a ? and a 32 year old goalie who is a headcase?

you are high if you think pronger's contract hurts us in any way ... that is why the LTIR exists ...

The difference is that Pronger's cap hit is still nearly 5 million until he can be LTIR which isn't until AFTER the season starts. During the off season the cap can be exceeded by 10%, but as far as I understand the team has to be under the cap by the start of the season. Which means if we can only get that 5 million back after the season starts then we have to be at or below the cap before the season starts. Awesome, we have 5 million in cap space at the beginning of the season, but that only helps at the trade deadline, it's a handicap in the off season.

Call me high, or crazy, or stupid, but I'll take a cap hit of 5.2 million on someone playing rather than a cap hit of 4.9 million on someone that isn't playing.

Ok so let me turn your own question on you and ask if you amnesty Pronger just because you cant wait until openning day to get him off the books who are you using his 4.9 million dollar cap hit to sign? Aside from Suter there arent a hell of a lot of top pair defenseman available through free agency and blowing our amnesty on a guy that would be off the books in a few months anyway through LTIR seems really impatient.

I'm content with essentially the same team as last year. I don't need to see the Flyers make a huge splash. They have what, 9 million in cap room? That should hopefully be enough to resign Carle at the 4.25 that is being rumored, plus Voracek at what, 2.5? Does that seem right, I honestly don't know. That should leave us at about 2.25 million in cap space before LTIR Pronger. I don't know if that will get us Jagr, and if it doesn't then so be it. Personally, Carle and Voracek are more important to both the immediate and long term future of the team than Jagr is. If you can't get Jagr with that money then I'm looking for someone like Doan, Langenbrunner, Langkow, Knuble, Arnott, etc. Someone that won't put up the points that Jagr did, but will have the same "old man" effect he had. Someone that could spare G from PK time would be awesome. Or if that 2.25 is enough to get Jagr, then that's awesome.

Edit: and if we don't have enough to even resign our own guys, then you amnesty Pronger so that you can. Harry Z, Sestito and Bourdon are all still RFA too.

There is no amnesty in the NHL and if they do institute that during the next collective bargaining agreement then it will most likely take place in 2013-2014 season. Bryz is better than Bob. Bob's glove hand sucks and he gives away the entire upper half of the net. They need to move him and get a reliable backup.

There is no amnesty in the NHL and if they do institute that during the next collective bargaining agreement then it will most likely take place in 2013-2014 season. Bryz is better than Bob. Bob's glove hand sucks and he gives away the entire upper half of the net. They need to move him and get a reliable backup.

I love how people like to come on here and ***** that everyone rags on Bryzgalov and then turn around and say that Bob sucks and we need to move him. I hope these same people are still hanging around here 5 or 6 years from now when Bob is a Vezina candidate because he got traded and was given regular playing (either in the minors or the NHL) to develop.

I love how people like to come on here and ***** that everyone rags on Bryzgalov and then turn around and say that Bob sucks and we need to move him. I hope these same people are still hanging around here 5 or 6 years from now when Bob is a Vezina candidate because he got traded and was given regular playing (either in the minors or the NHL) to develop.

you know what dude, i don't even care as long as we have a cup. this team is maybe a defenseman away from being serious contenders. i'll take a cup or 2 over a vezina trophy winner any day.

James van Riemsdyk will not need hip surgery this offseason.
There were various rumors that suggested the young Flyers forward needed to go under the knife to repair a torn labrum -- but TSN's Darren Dreger reports that will not be the case. Instead, van Riemsdyk should be "fully recoverd" by the opening of training camp. The talented 23-year-old played in just 43 games due to a number of injuries, scoring 11 goals and tallying 13 assists.